The Mediterranean region was at the centre of discussions between United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, and Dr. Sergio Piazzi, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM). A range of other issues of common interest were also covered during the meeting held at the historical San Anton Palace, residence of the President of the Republic of Malta, during Ban Ki-moon’s official visit to the central Mediterranean archipelago between 21-22 April 2009.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stressed the important role that parliamentary diplomacy can play in conjunction with traditional diplomacy and international institutions. “Parliamentarians themselves have a primary function at the national and regional level since they can influence, with determination, their governments’ actions and policies”, Mr Ban Ki-moon said. He also praised PAM’s outreach and offered his full personal support to its initiatives, which are aimed at creating the necessary dialogue and promote the implementation of tangible measures that can further lead to the establishment of peaceful coexistence between populations. He also thanked PAM for its support to UN actions during the recent Gaza crisis.
To this effect, Mr. Ban Ki-moon and Dr. Piazzi exchanged views on the current situation in the Mediterranean region, with special focus on the Middle East. The Western Sahara issue, Kosovo and Cyprus were also referred to. They underlined the fact that every single issue deserves to be considered with the highest priority possible, and reference was made to ongoing cooperation
between the UN and PAM on topics such as terrorism, migration, climate change, and energy. Mr. Ban Ki-moon and Dr. Piazzi agreed that initiatives can achieve better results if all international institutions, under the leading role of the UN, resolve to work within a framework of complementarity, where each and everyone contributes with one’s own strengths and lays them at the service of the common goals.
PAM’s Secretary General illustrated the Mediterranean Parliament’s activities so far and briefed Mr. Ban Ki-moon on the upcoming missions in the Middle East in May by members of the Bureau and in New York and Washington by PAM President Rudy Salles in the first week of July. While thanking the United Nations for the continued support of and cooperation with PAM, Dr. Piazzi went a step further with the proposal to further strengthen the existing relations between the two organizations, as well as launch the procedure for Observer Status at the UN General Assembly. “In a globalised world subject to the daily dynamics of change, synergies between actors pursuing common objectives through different courses of action are a valid strategic approach in order to consolidate and to allow the rightful expression of all those voices committed to peace worldwide”, Dr. Piazzi said.